Sat 26 Jan 2013
Posted by Bertrand under Photographs, Wang Peiyu 王佩瑜
No Comments
Actress Wang Peiyu, specialized in male laosheng roles, here in a rare photo costumed as a qingyi.
Thank you, Fern! (Did you get the visa yet?)
Sat 21 Jul 2012
Posted by Bertrand under Favorite performers, Full length operas, Lü Yang 吕洋, Wang Peiyu 王佩瑜, Wang Yan 王艳, Zhang Ke 张克
[3] Comments
Hello,
This is a collaborative post between Bertrand and Fern, whose help was invaluable to get the facts straight. I also have to thank Géza again for forwarding me this video a couple of months ago via USB stick in the regular mail. I only got around to watching a couple of weekends ago and was bowled by the terrific performances. I emailed Géza to express my great enthusiasm for it and he replied, “Yes, the performance is superb. It is my all time favorite performance.”
According to the encyclopedia Fern, the cast for this show is Lü Yang, Wang Peiyu, Zhang Ke (I thought it was An Ping!), Wang Yan, Ma Jie, Li Hong, and Wei Yigang. It was filmed in 2000 at the Tianjin Binhu Theatre in Shanghai (武家坡+算军粮+银空山+大登殿).
The basic story of Wujia Po, or the Wujia Slope, is simple. Like Ulysses in the Odyssey, a husband (named Pinggui) who has been away for 18 years returns to find his wife (Baochuan) after making good. He finds her living humbly near a cave, unchanged. She does not recognise him and escapes into the cave. The husband decides to test her love by tempting her with silver and sweet promises to accompany him and leave on horseback. She firmly resists his many advances. Finally, he reveals his true identity and they are reunited.
Wujia Slope is part however of a larger epic, 《红鬃烈马》Hongzong Liema, (the red-maned fiery horse), which consists of numerous episodes. Fern has gathered synopses for each of the episodes here.
In the video presented here today, the husband and wife story takes up the first hour of the opera. It is a pretty bare bones Cheng school play with a simple costume for the female lead, few props and only two characters on stage.Everything depends on the delivery, a demanding task. I’ve posted a video of this before, performed by my favorite singer, Zhang Huoding, here.
After the first hour, there is an abrupt segue and the husband Pinggui and wife Baochuan have returned to the imperial court. This story shift was a bit hard to figure out. Fern had to lay it all out for me.
First comes the the “stock-taking” scene which is rarely staged. Repeating from Fern’s storyline post:
《算军粮》Suan Jun Liang (Stock-taking the Army Provisions) - At Wang Yun’s birthday celebration, a fierce argument is going on between Wei Hu and Xue Pinggui, regarding the provisions of the last 18 years. After the death of the Tang emperor, Wang Yun seizes the throne and sends troops to capture Xue Pinggui.
(in the picture below,Wei Hu and Pinggui argue):
Following is the 《银空山》Yinkong Shan (Silver Sky Mountain) scene with Wang Yan as Princess Daizhan. Eventually, with the help of Princess Daizhan, Pinggui (just like Ulysses), will wrest back the throne from usurpers. At the end of which the two losers are arrested by the foreigner furry soldiers of Daizhan and the emperor’s seal is taken back (symbolised by a brick covered in a yellow scarf).
Finally, the scene 《大登殿》Da Deng Dian (The Great Enthronement) closes the opera – Pinggui takes the throne and makes Baochuan Empress. He orders the execution of Wang Yun, but Wang Baochuan begs him to spare the life of her father. Pinggui gives in, and he even allows Mrs. Wang to live in the palace (everyone: peace and love, no hard feelings).
I posted a video of Zhang Huoding performing Da Deng Dian before here. That video begins with the arrest pictured above.
Zhang Huoding’s performances in the Wujia Slope scene often seems to my eyes to have become “the blueprint that must be followed” by younger Cheng school performers such as Lü Yang, Guo Wei and especially (just being a bit stern despite the fact she is my new crush) Zhao Huan. Fortunately, I am happy to say, in this video Lü Yang gives a very fresh performance, quite her own, playful and downright catty at times. Simply, her singing is the best I have heard her and her moves are the best I have seen her. She is so good during the five minutes that start at 10:45 that she is the only one startled when the audience member yells his approval at her exquisite gestures, and she cracks a thankful smile at 15:29 that is not in the script.
Wang Peiyu, another actress, plays the husband. This is perhaps not her most memorable role, but boy does she shine! Tremendous singing! It is clear that Lü Yang and Wang Peiyu clicked during this production.
The files Géza sent me were simply too big to post in .VOB format, so I used Daniusoft’s DVD ripper to reduce them to a format more adapted to the web. The source audio is not very loud and it has an audible hum, so to watch the video I recommend you do the same as I: in VLC, use the built-in pre-amplifier and graphic equaliser by going menu Tools > Effects and Filters > Audio Effects tab
My audio correction looked like this, but you might tweak to your own taste:
Click here to download Part 1 of the video
(mp4 format, file size 920 MB)
Click here to download Part 2 of the video
(mp4 format, file size 843 MB)
Enjoy!
Mon 23 Jan 2012
Posted by Fern under An Ping 安平, Chen Shaoyun 陈少云, Chi Xiaoqiu 迟小秋, Chinese Opera 戏曲, Dong Yuanyuan 董圆圆, Du Zhenjie 杜镇杰, Full length concerts, Geng Qichang 耿其昌, Huangmei Opera 黄梅戏, Jiang Yishan 姜亦珊, Jin Xiquan 金喜全, Jingju / Beijing Opera / Peking Opera 京剧, Kunqu / Kun Opera 昆曲, Li Baochun 李宝春, Li Hongtu 李宏图, Li Jun 李军, Li Peihong 李佩红, Li Shengsu 李胜素, Lü Yang 吕洋, Meng Guanglu 孟广禄, Modern Opera, Ni Maocai 倪茂才, Shi Yihong 史依弘, Tan Xiaozeng 谭孝曾, Wang Peiyu 王佩瑜, Wang Rongrong 王蓉蓉, Xiao Ya 萧雅, Xu Mengke 徐孟珂, Yang Ban Xi (8 Model Works), Yang Chi 杨赤, Yu Kuizhi 于魁智, Yuan Huiqin 袁慧琴, Yueju / Shaoxing Opera 越剧, Yuju / Henan Opera 豫剧, Zhang Ke 张克, Zhang Yanling 张艳玲, Zhao Baoxiu 赵葆秀, Zhao Xiujun 赵秀君, Zhu Qiang 朱强
1 Comment
Happy Lunar New Year! Here are the videos I promised.
The Spring Festival Chinese Opera Gala of CCTV4 was a severely edited version, however, two excerpts appear only in this shorter edition, namely Chen Shaoyun’s costumeless Chasing Han Xin and Zhu Qiang’s Ganlu Temple. Both performers are my huge favorites, so I’m really grateful to the editor.
I converted the video to mp4 format with Handbrake, using the deinterlacing filter. Of course the original files are much better, but huge-ish (7GB) and best viewed on TV.
I downloaded the full version from the CNTV site, it comes in five parts. The screenshots below show the quality, I think it’s not bad. Five hours total, so don’t forget to pile up dumplings and soft drinks on your TV table if you’re adventurous enough to watch it in one go.
There are two bonus clips too, from the CCTV Spring Festival Gala: a performance by amateur jingju artists, including the adorable kid Duoduo (Li Peize), and a clip titled “New Drunken Concubine” – can you believe this elegant Guifei is actually a handsome boy?
Downloads:
CCTV4 Spring Festival Chinese Opera Gala highlights edition part1
CCTV4 Spring Festival Chinese Opera Gala highlights edition part2
(mp4, 720×576)
CCTV Spring Festival Chinese Opera Gala full version
(rar, 480×360)
CCTV Spring Festival Gala amateur performers’ scene
《戏迷一家亲》 ”Theater fans are one big family”
– Sanjiadian – Gao Changzhi (高长志)
– Mu Guiying Takes Command – Zhang Jie (张杰)
– Xu Ce Runs to the City Walls – Li Peize (李沛泽)
– Beheading Chen Shimei - Li Zelin (李泽林)
(VOB, 720×576)
Bonus clip
《新贵妃醉酒》Xin Guifei Zuijiu (New Drunken Concubine) – Li Yugang (李玉刚)
(VOB, 720×576)
I’m an unconditional Duoduo fan, that’s just natural he was my favorite from the show. I’m daring to say he grabbed the spirit of this character more firmly than some of the adult performers, what’s more, he’s a bit different every time, not just repeating the same performance as a robot. He appears in both the Chinese Opera Gala and the “plain” Gala, unfortunately the cameraman of the latter had a keen sense to zoom out or show the audience when a close-up of the kid was needed.
Li Zelin as underage Judge Bao was also very cute.
Duoduo as Xu Ce
Yuan Huiqin chose her excerpt wisely: the role of an armored elderly female warrior suits her much better than the miserable old lady of Golden Tortoise Fishing what she performed at the Shanghai Spring Festival concert this week. She’s not that typical old and slow-moving laodan…
I was happy that Dong Yuanyuan, my favorite Mei qingyi had the opportunity to show us her Drunken Concubine, and Li Shengsu was popularizing Female Generals of the Yangs instead.
The Red Cliff trio was excellent – and surprise of surprises, this time I liked Zhang Jianfeng more than Jin Xiquan.
Maybe Zhao Xiujun isn’t the most beautiful Zhang school qingyi of all times, and not as grandiose as Wang Rongrong, but I still like her artistic approach.
Zhao Xiujun
I don’t listen to Henan opera very often, but Li Shujian is mind-blowing, seemingly he doesn’t have to make extraordinary efforts to sing like that. I bet he will get a third Plum Blossom Award one time.
I already elaborated on in my own blog that something isn’t right about Yu Kuizhi nowadays… at least I feel so. Maybe his appointment as vice-president is too much of a burden, or he simply reached his limits, I don’t know. This time he came with an excerpt from Shang Tian Tai – there are plays he’s more an expert of, moreover, where is that sparkle in the eyes? There was a point when I thought he will fall asleep. I’m really, really disappointed, and sad as well.
Yan (Jupeng) school laosheng Chen Shengjie represents a style you don’t hear often, and he’s really good. His Zhuge Liang was so… Zhuge Liang-ish. I mean this is exactly how I imagine someone whose head is full of stratagems and serious thoughts.
Chen Shengjie
Li Baochun definitely has his own style, which couldn’t sweep me off my feet like his father’s did, but yet he’s fun to watch and Chang Qiuyue is one of my preferences – this duet was lovely.
Li Fengjie and Emperor Zhengde – men never change. Women never change.
Highlight of the show: Li Jun finally got rid of his metal kitchen scrubber-like hair that was a laughingstock of the public for way too long. Actually for the sake of a new play (also featuring Xiong Mingxia, I’ll upload it later), but the change is welcome.
And many more, many more. Enjoy!
Tracklist (highlights edition):
Tracklist (full edition):
Fri 19 Aug 2011
Posted by Bertrand under An Ping 安平, Du Zhenjie 杜镇杰, Favorite performers, Full length concerts, Jin Xiquan 金喜全, Li Guojing 李国静, Meng Guanglu 孟广禄, Shi Yihong 史依弘, Tang Yuancai 唐元才, Wang Peiyu 王佩瑜, Yuan Huiqin 袁慧琴, Zhang Ke 张克, Zhao Huan 赵欢
[7] Comments
(Updated 2013-04-23 to fix broken links)
Here is a great video Fern sent me of a complete concert from last February in Shanghai: “A Distinguished Gathering: Beijing-Tianjin-Shanghai Joint Performance“, which was filmed at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on 2011-02-17.
It might be really hot here today, but it was cold in Shanghai during the concert. Fern spotted some very good photos of everyone at this concert:
http://bbs.cntv.cn/thread-14651922-1-1.html
Wang Peiyu and her musicians are in winter coats during rehearsals.
Not only the rehearsals were cold, so was the concert. Check out the audience during the concert, they have their collars turned up! (Especially the guy wearing yellow on the left, we’ll be checking in on him frequently during the video.)
The MC, however, is brave enough to remain sleeveless. This is not HD, so you can’t see the goose-bumps.
Francis, a salesman I work with, was actually in Shanghai at about the same time as this concert was filmed. Now, if there’s one thing a Canadian is used to, it’s the winter cold. Yet when I asked Francis about his trip in China, he admitted he froze his tail off the whole time. The reason: it’s not that cold in China, it’s just that nobody heats their cars or buildings to save money. Canadians heat their houses above 15 degrees at all times during winter, even if they leave the city for two weeks. Doing the opposite is not only cheap, it’s unhealthy. Wary Canadian home owners know humid buildings under 15 degrees Celsius can easily get infested with mildew that grow between wall partitions, giving off spores that attack the lungs and cause strong asthma and allergies. Cleaning such infestations are difficult to do, require professional services and ripping out walls, which can be much more costly than the savings won by not heating. An acquaintance of mine had the habit of never heating his Ottawa region home. Ten years later, his home is worthless, and can only be torn down.
Please lower the volume on your computer before beginning, sound is about as loud as the theatre was cold.
As usual, I’ll print Fern’s comments in italics with perhaps a comment from me here or there in [regular font]. Here is Fern with the cast and song list:
Yang Shaopeng (杨少彭) -Zhulian Zhai (Zhulian Fort)
Zhao Huan (赵欢) – Suo Lin Nang (The Unicorn Purse)
[ I am starting to know this opera fairly well! It's starting to be like listening to "O mio babbino caro" sung by different sopranos (my favorite version is Renée Fleming's). This is the first time I hear Zhao Huan. To my untrained ears, she does not hit the high notes with ease, and is a bit too quiet during at least one quieter moment. She also could look a bit more relaxed and assured. I guess it's hard to picture everyone in the audience naked when it's that cold and they're all dressed in winter coats. ]
Tan Xiaoling (谭晓令) – Silang Tan Mu (Silang Visits his Mother)
[This is the first time I see her. The audience responds well to her intro. Boisterous, a very strong voice, her style sounds almost violent to my ears! She's a natural for Modern Beijing opera.]
Zhang Liyuan (张笠媛) – Zhuangyuan Mei (Top Scholar as Matchmaker)
[First time I hear Zhang Liyuan. Her voice is a little high, à la Li Shengsu, and she has excellent portamento. The passage at 18:40 is exceptional. This aria's tempo could have been a bit slower for me, with more sustain on the final words of the sentences in certain passages. The accompanying instrument is also a little bit harsh and screechy. ]
Wang Peiyu (王珮瑜) – Sou Gu Jiu Gu (The Story of the Orphan)
[Fern considers this actress a shooting star. I admit she has an excellent voice and regularly sings something I'd never heard before. Sound saturates a bit at 21:11, Wang Peiyu has a very dynamic voice, it can go from soft to very loud. ]
Xiong Mingxia (熊明霞) – Huo Xiaoyu
[I haven't seen this singer before. A pretty voice, a pretty face, precise and fluid delivery. She must be terrific in full costume. ]
An Ping (安平) – Zhaoshi Guer (The Zhao Orphan); Hei Xuanfeng Li Kui (Li Kui,
The Black Whirlwind)
[An Ping is hot this year, a Plum Blossom award in pocket. He is also featured in another concert here. A virile and masculine performer, no high pitched funny stuff going around here.]
Wang Runjing (王润菁) – Shi Wen Hui (Meeting by Poetry)
[Screechy jinghu! Wang Runjing starts this off like a siren alarm. I like the way she weaves around a note, an elegant delivery.]
Du Zhenjie (杜镇杰) – Ganlu Si (Ganlu Temple)
[ A highly pleasing voice, with appropriate reverb. ]
Li Guojing (李国静) – Xie Yaohuan
[ A truly windswept performance, Li Guojing could easily have sung this from the top of a cliff. I love the tremolo at 48:11 and 49:11 ]
Yuan Huiqin (袁慧琴) – Dui Huaqing (The Matching Spears)
[ A hardly recognisable out-of-costume Yuan Huiqin proves once again to be a force of nature at 52:00. She gets a roar of approval at the end of her song, prompting her to continue, hitting a truly spectacular note at 53:47.]
Jin Xiquan (金喜全): Xiao Yan (Lü Bu and Diaochan – The Small Dinner)
[ Uncommonly good control of a very high-pitched voice. Holy cow! This is where male western audiences really hit a roadblock. Although I can tell Fern digged this, from her final comments at the end of this post. I'll just limit myself to add that Jin Xiquan has Elvis-like eyebrow control. ]
Zhang Ke (张克) – Wenzhao Guan (The Zhao Pass)
Tang Yuancai (唐元才) – Tan Huang Ling (Exploring the Emperor’s Tomb)
[ A strong, solid presence and a great voice singing a very pleasant aria. Have we seen Tang Yuancai elsewhere? 1:15:58 is fantastic.]
Zhang Jianguo (张建国) – Kong Cheng Ji (Empty City Strategy)
Li Peihong (李佩红) – Chun Gui Meng (Dream in a Girl’s Chamber)
[ Zhang Huoding repertoire, I can hardly listen to anyone else singing it. The audience strongly disagrees with me at 1:32:48.]
Meng Guanglu (孟广禄) – Tan Yinshan (Visiting Yin Mountain); Qixi Baihu Tuan (Raid on the White Tiger Regiment)
I recently found this photo of Meng Guanglu applying make-up for a traditional role:
[ Here he is singing from Yang Ban Xi, one of the 8 model works, although you couldn't tell from his traditional approach. He is in really fine, fine voice too, I might add. And he grows on you. Note to myself: I should order a Meng Guanglu CD. Also a very interesting camera shot here of the percussionist in action. ]
[ He uses tiny drum sticks, I always thought they used woodblocks with very quick wrist action. ]
Shi Yihong (史依弘) – Mu Guiying Guashuai (Mu Guiying Takes Command)
[ For the past year or so, Shi Yihong is everywhere. Every opera she is in is peer-to-peered like crazy. She is the Beijing Opera "It girl" of the moment, it seems. No doubt she is worthy of this adulation. She has the voice and the moves. However! She surprises me, but she does not hypnotise me. 1:49:11 inspires respect but not unconditional surrender. Why is that? I can't figure it out. ]
Chen Shaoyun (陈少云) – Da Yan Song (Beating Yan Song)
[ Fern likes this performer very much, but perhaps not for the same reasons she likes Jin Xiquan. ]
Yuan Huiqin, An Ping – Chisang Zhen (Red Mulberry Village)
Yes! Finally a Yuan-An version. Long live the Beijing-Shanghai cooperation!
[ An Ping is the Beijing Opera performer most likely to make a fortune from television commercials endorsing either after-shave or neck ties. He is such a guy. ]
Li Guojing, Yang Shaopeng – Zuo Gong (Sitting in the Palace)
Du Zhenjie, Shi Yihong, Meng Guanglu – Er Jin Gong (Entering the Palace for
the Second Time)
Audience gets the flower bouquets at the end. I surely would have broken a
few noses for Jin Xiquan’s one. [?]
Click here to download the video. File format is .MKV which can be played using VLC. File size is 603 MB.
All in all, it was really worth sitting in the cold. And getting your nose broken.
Enjoy!
Sat 6 Aug 2011
Posted by Bertrand under An Ping 安平, Chen Shaoyun 陈少云, Favorite performers, Full length concerts, Li Bingshu 李炳淑, Li Jun 李军, Li Peihong 李佩红, Li Shengsu 李胜素, Meng Guanglu 孟广禄, Pei Yongjie 裴永杰, Re-posted, Shi Yihong 史依弘, Wang Peiyu 王佩瑜, Wang Rongrong 王蓉蓉, Xia Huihua 夏慧华, Yu Kuizhi 于魁智, Zhang Ke 张克, Zhao Baoxiu 赵葆秀
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(originally published on: Jun 25, 2011)
Here is a complete two hour concert filmed at the Shanghai Tianchan Yifu Theater.
This is yet another file found by my long rainy weekend computer backup exercise. The following song list by Fern of megapoxy.net, who kindly helped me sort out the performers, and in absolute overnight record time too! I am humbled.
This is a very interesting concert as it uses a full western orchestra along with the traditional Chinese instruments. It’s quite a mix bag, as it features the best known Beijing Opera performers like Li Shengsu, Yu Kuizhi, Wang Rongrong and Meng Guanglu along with some newer faces.
Here is Fern in italics, with me jumping in once in a while.
1.空城计 王珮瑜 Kong Cheng Ji (Empty City Strategy) – by the cross-dressing Wang Peiyu, famous Yu school female laosheng.
She just got her first Plum Blossom and I’m really happy about it.
(Bertrand) She had me fooled.
2.贵妃醉酒 史依弘 Guifei Zuijiu (The Drunken Concubine) – by Shi Yihong
(Bertrand) We just posted the incredible “Yangmen” with this performer.
3.打严嵩 裴永杰 Da Yan Song (Beating Yan Song) – by Pei Yongjie
Pei Yongjie, Plum winner (2001) Qi school laosheng, hongsheng (red face), head of Jilin Beijing Opera Theatre.
4.龙凤呈祥 李佩红 Long Feng Cheng Xiang (The Auspicious Dragon & Phoenix) – by Li Peihong
Li Peihong, daoma, huashan of Tianjin Youth Beijing Opera Troupe also got the Plum Blossom in 2001.
Here’s another song with her from the 2011 New Year show.
5.黑旋风李逵 安平 Hei Xuanfeng Li Kui (Li Kui, The Black Whirlwind) – by An Ping
An Ping, first-class hualian of Shanghai Beijing Opera Theatre, got his first Plum Blossom this month and I’m really happy about this, too. 
A 2011 New Year’s video with him, singing excerpt from The Zhao Orphan here.
(Bertrand) Fern’s not the only one to really like An Ping, there are several noticeable roars of approval from the audience during this performer’s aria.
6.状元媒 王蓉蓉 Zhuangyuan Mei (Top Scholar as Matchmaker) – by Wang Rongrong (who needs no introduction)
7.大唐贵妃 李军 Da Tang Guifei (Imperial Concubine of the Tang Dynasty) -by Li Jun
Li Jun, Yang school laosheng – his civil hairstyle is always leaving me stunned…
Here singing Wujia Po with Shi Yihong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hR8sUzSbYs
Excerpt from Ji Gu Ma Cao (Beating the Drum to Abuse Cao Cao):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHfu7s6B-wg
Chen Shaoyun, An Ping and Li Jun all play a role in this opera:
http://megapoxy.net/wordpress/?p=1113
(Bertrand) This is the part of the concert that for me is like a very lengthy drum solo during a rock show — “It’s time to get some snacks.”
8.打龙袍 赵葆秀 Da Long Pao (Beating the Emperor’s Robe) – Zhao Baoxiu
(Bertrand jumping in again) Thank goodness someone to wake us up after Li Jun. Thank you, Zhao Baoxiu!
9.乌盆记 张克 Wu Pen Ji (Story of Black Basin) – Zhang Ke
(Bertrand ) A pleasing performer indeed.
10.西施 李胜素 Xi Shi – by Li Shengsu
(Bertrand) What a gorgeous gown! Have you ever seen anything so marvellous? No doubt this is from a Chinese designer, too. And Li Shengsu never wears a gown twice.
11.探阴山 孟广禄 Tan Yinshan (Visiting Yin Mountain) – Meng Guanglu
I read the story to this opera previously, and finally the penny dropped that Zha Pan Guan (Beheading the Underworld Judge) you posted here:
http://operabeijing.com/?p=597 is based on this Qiu school classic with a few minor changes.
In Meng Guanglu’s words, who plays Bao Zheng in the new show, it’s “old thing with new taste”. This role is extremely hard, requires great singing skills. When Qiu Shengrong was singing this role, his fans were listening as if they were on drugs.
I wrote a summary earlier, here it is, maybe you want to add it:
The story is set during Song Renzong’s reign. At a cheerful Lantern festival a young woman, Liu Jinchan, is separated from her family in the crowd. Walking home alone, she encounters a scoundrel, Li Bao, who tries to rape her but fails. In the end he strangles the girl to death. To cover his tra cks, Li Bao moves the corpse to Yan Chasan’s doorway to frame him. The case isn’t investigated properly, Yan Chasan gets arrested and sentenced to death. He files an appeal to Bao Zheng, complaining about the injustice.
Because the circumstances of Liu Jinchan’s death are unclear, Bao Zheng descends into the underworld to ask the underworld judge, Pan Guan, to check the case in the register of life and death. Pan Guan’s book of death clearly indicates that the rapist and murderer was Yan Chasan.
Bao Zheng starts his own private investigation, going to the Yin Mountains to ask Liu Jinchan’s ghost about the truth. The ghost tells him that the real culprit was Li Bao, that Li Bao’s maternal uncle is Pan Guan and the corrupt judge altered the register of life and death without authority!
Bao Zheng gets furious about the fraud and orders Pan Guan to correct the book. Pan Guan doesn’t admit his fault, finally Bao Zheng gets angry and beheads him. Returning to the world of the living, he releases Yan Chasan and beheads Li Bao too.
(Bertrand) Lots of Meng Guanglu fans in this audience!
12.玉堂春 夏慧华 Yu Tangchun – Xia Huihua
Xia Huihua, first class Mei school qingyi from Shanghai, born in 1944.
(Bertrand) She has a good voice, too.
13.文天祥 陈少云 Wen Tianxiang – Chen Shaoyun
Five stars! Not enough applause!!!
(Bertrand) Fern was not pleased at all with the audience’s reaction to this performance here.
Southern opera, excerpt from one of Zhou Xinfang’s patriotic plays set during the Japanese invasion.
http://megapoxy.net/wordpress/?p=2640
14.大登殿 李炳淑 Da Deng Dian (The Great Enthronement) – Li Bingshu
Same excerpt you just posted w/ Li Shengsu, great stuff for making comparisons.
Interesting about Li Bingshu is she’s singing in Mei style and also in Zhang
style simultaneously. Two of her teachers were Yan Huizhu and Wei Lianfang, both direct disciples of Mei Lanfang. Here’s a great photo of the latter w/ Mei Lanfang:
http://a0.att.hudong.com/10/65/01300000222260121952651003416.jpg
(Bertrand) She’s a dead ringer for my Hungarian mother. Mom! Is that you?!?
15.上天台 于魁智 Shangtian Tai (Ascending the Heavenly Altar) – Yu Kuizhi
Great aria to show off vocal skills. 
What to add? Nice tie.
(Bertrand) Fern and I keep disagreeing on Yu’s neckties. This one I think would have been better a uniform blue rather than with a blue pattern. But both of us agree about Yu Kuizhi: his singing is finer than fine. I myself think he is the best at what he does.
16.凤还巢 李尤婉云 Feng Huan Chao (Phoenix Returning to the Nest) – Li Youwanyun
(not really sure how to pinyin this name…)
She’s an amateur actress from Hong Kong.
17.坐宫 于魁智/李尤婉云 Zuo Gong (Sitting in the Palace) – Li Youwanyun, Yu Kuizhi
A photo of this performance:
http://baike.baidu.com/image/8bc3a7018d5ade59728da502 Mr. Yu is looking very
solemn on this picture.
18.卧龙吊孝 言兴朋 Wolong Diaoxiao (Zhuge Liang’s Condolence Visit at Chai Sang’s Funeral) – by Yan Xingpeng
Yan Xingpeng’s grandfather, Yan Jupeng founded Yan school; his father, Yan
Shaopeng is also a Yan school laosheng and for a change, his mother, Zhang
Shaolou too. Bearded family.
He got Plum Blossom in 1990, same session as Yu Kuizhi.
(Bertrand) Very nice orchestra intro here.
19.霸王别姬 李胜素 Bawang Bie Ji (Farewell My Concubine) – by Li Shengsu
Mei Baojiu is surely proud of his disciple.
Thank you so much, Fern!
As usual, here are my own quick random notes:
This is such a pleasant-sounding concert, a real crowd pleaser on all counts.
Wang Rongrong is lovely but I found her singing a bit more shrill than usual. Is this her usual repertoire or an off night? I’m not sure.
I’m still amazed by Li Shengsu’s gown.
Click here to download the video. File format is .RMVB, viewable in VLC. File size is 449 MB.
(update 2011-08 here are the original comments for this post)
I realized she’s female only when I read her profile. ><If you don’t like this necktie of Yu Kuizhi, just wait until I post the old video I found, he’s wearing a terrible oh-so-80s suit.
Poor man, I’m always ranting about his outfits, but really what else to criticise? His voice surely not.Wang Rongrong is frequently singing The Top Scholar, besides Riverside Pavilion, Romance of West Chamber and Meeting by Poetry, as typical Zhang school play.Li Shengsu never wears a gown twice? Now I HAVE TO find two performances with the same gown! ;P
Comment by Fern — June 26, 2011 @ 1:32 am